Page 4 RAIN September/October 1985 I Women and Technology On August third, more than 130 women attended a historic event in Portland. "Women and Technology: Changes in the Workplace" brought together feminists, educators, union members, technology professionals, and technicians. According to conference organizer Mimi Maduro, this was the first community-based conference in the U.S. on this topic. She said the only other similar events, in New York and San Diego, were sponsored by universities. The one-day conference looked at the technological changes occuring in the workplace and how these changes affect women. Two key facts were considered: Technology is transforming the way we work, and women are entering the work force at an unprecedented rate. From these two facts other critical questions were examined: What jobs are women going to hold in technological fields? How are women influencing technology in the workplace? The keynote speaker. Dr. Sally Hacker from Oregon State University, provided a theoretical framework for the day's sessions. Hacker's life work has been dedicated to researching women, work, and technology issues. Dr. Corky Bush from the University of Idaho provided a historical framework emphasizing the bottom line: technology is political. Workshops included discussions on the effects of technology on employment, job skills development, automating the office, women technical managers, starting your own technology-based business, career options, and managing technological anxiety. The conference was spearheaded by a group of seven Portland women and co-sponsored by the Portland YWCA. Corporate Execs Jailed for Toxic Dumping "Warning: The illegal disposal of toxic wastes will result in jail. We should know; loc got caught!" This was the lead-in to an adverHsement that recently appeared in the Los Angeles Times. The full-page ad, sponsored by American Caster Company at a cost of $15,000, was the result of a judgement against that company for "clandestine ... midnight dumping" of toxic wastes. In addition, the company had to pay a $20,000 fine and put up another $20,000 for clean-up costs. American Caster's president and vice president are also serving six-month jail sentences. This advertising for corporate responsibility and admitting guilt publicly was the result of action by the Los Angeles Toxic Waste Strike Force, which uses undercover monitoring and SWAT-like tactics to discover illegal waste dumping. The force is made up of people from the state and county health departments, and city police, fire, and sanitation workers. (Source: Good Money, July/August 1985.) SCATTERED Nuclear Power Outlawed in Denmark The nuclear industry is finding something rotten in Denmark. In March of this year, the Danish Parliament voted to approve the following statement: "The Parliament directs the government to adjust the official energy plans to include the condition that nuclear power will not be used. The government shall therefore inform the electric utilities that they will not receive approval for application for permission to construct nuclear power plants." This decision is the culmination of 11 years of active opposition to plans presented by the electric utilities to introduce nuclear power into Denmark in 1973. The national anti-nuclear organization, OOA, hailed the decision as a great victory. It warned, however, that unless concrete steps are taken the decision will be simply a symbolic gesture that can be changed at any time. The OOA has therefore decided to remain in existence to pursue the following projects: conservation and renewable energy, cogeneration, low-temperature heating systems, the prohibition of electric heat in new construction, withdrawal of government funding for nuclear power research, and a call for Denmark's participation in international nonproliferation activity. (Source: NECNP Nesletter, Summer 1985.) Fertilizer from Renewable Resources A process to produce nitrogen fertilizer using primarily air, water, and electrical energy has been developed for use in remote areas or developing countries where fertilizer must be imported at high cost. Designed by researchers at the Batelle-C.F. Kettering Research Laboratory in Yellow Springs, Ohio, a prototype system was installed recently in Nepal, where electrical energy to power the process is being harnessed by a water turbine. Energy to operate the arc-reactor system also can be generated by wind-electric and photovoltaic power sources. Battelle's system uses an electric arc reactor to combine renewable resources such as nitrogen and oxygen from air with water to produce a weak nitric acid. When the acid reacts with a neutralizing agent such as limestone in an absorbtion column, it yields calcium nitrate fertilizer. (Source: Bio-Joule, July 1985.) Energy Recovery System from L.A. Wastewater The solids handling portion of the City of Los Angeles Hyperion Treatment Plant is in the process of being transformed from a traditional sewage plant to a super-modem facility that will treat over 370 million gallons of sewage each day and generate enough electricity to run all of Hyperion's operations plus an additional 19,000 homes. The HERS project (Hyperion Energy Recovery System) will include sludge processing from wastewater treatment
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